Once In A Blue Moon. Blue Moon Grand Cru Review.

January 9, 2010

Full moons supposedly cause people to do crazy things. Some report more hospital admittances and police departments report an increase in crime. I feel safe saying that I have never fallen under the spell of a full moon. However, the full moon of December 31, 2009 might be a whole different story. It just might have influenced me to purchase a MillerCoors product and review it right here on Beer Epiphany.

When I was out shopping for New Years Eve beers at my local Friar Tuck and came across Blue Moon Grand Cru I was drawn to it. After all, it came in a big 750 and had “Grand Cru” attached. I wasn’t even sure Macros were allowed to make stuff in 750 ML bottles. I decided to buy a bottle and see how this version differed from the original Blue Moon.

According to this article “grand cru” simply designates that it is a special edition release of the beer. It will most likely be a fuller, stronger version of the original brew. Blue Moon decided to do a limited release of their staple witbier to commemorate the fact that a real blue moon (two full moons within one calendar month) falls on New Years Eve 2009.

This beer comes in a 750 ML bottle with a tape seal over the cap. This seal must be an attempt to add authenticity to the brew, but it is really pretty pointless. The bottle is labeled as “limited edition” and lists the ABV at 8.2% which is pretty hefty for a macro.

A pour into my glass reveals a hazy yellow color, plenty of floaties, and a tall white head. The aroma has a hint of vanilla, light citrus hops, and a certain fruitiness. Ok, so far it is a bit more complex than standard Blue Moon, but still nothing to rave about.

The mouth is where things get interesting. The flavor is sweet and “orangey” all the way through. However, these flavors are much more subtle than regular Blue Moon. This is a good thing. Blue Moon Grand Cru tastes like you just took a bite of a big, juicy ripe orange and then took a swig of a wheat beer. Fantastic!

The body is light with a creamy mouthfeel. The high-ish ABV doesn’t stick its neck out at all. Many other beers with an *8.2% ABV can tend to throw their weight around, but not this one. It finishes with a refreshing flavor of orange cream candy and a light dryness.

I have to be honest I wasn’t expecting much from this one, and I ended up pleasantly surprised. It is safe to say that I’ll only be reviewing macros on Beer Epiphany once in a blue moon.

***NOTE***As this brew warmed up it actually lost many subtleties that actually made it quite a remarkable witbier. I don’t usually like to recommend serving beers at colder temperatures, but Blue Moon Grand Cru benefits greatly from the subtleties that the cold temperatures allow. Once it sat out a bit it became way too sweet and cloying.

Related

Yeah, I remember my first Blue Moon and I wasn’t sure what to think. I had never tasted anything quite like it. I believe it was served with an orange slice too (something I would never dream of doing today). Grand cru was a step up, but lacking in a few areas.